Neighbors Oppose Apartments Near Lake Miriam Square

Dec 3, 2021 at 7:19 am The Ledger

Neighbors are fighting a proposal to build 240 apartments on Publix property at the corner of Lake Miriam Drive and South Florida Avenue, The Ledger reports in a subscribers-only story. A major objection is the addition of traffic to an already congested area, but representatives of developer Preferred Apartment Communities said apartments will generate fewer trips than the currently approved commercial uses. The Lakeland Planning and Zoning Board is scheduled to decide on the project Jan. 19.

Downtown/ Neighborhoods

Lake Wire Apartment and Retail Community Gets Design Approval

Nov 18, 2021 at 6:12 pm

An urban-style community of 630 apartments with restaurants and shops will be built on the abandoned Florida Tile site west of Lake Wire, under plans unveiled today at a meeting of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority. The conceptual design by Atlanta developers Carter & Associates and architects The Preston Partnership received an enthusiastic approval from the LDDA board. More

Neighborhoods/ Politics

Mayor Candidates Differ on Developing Northwest Lakeland

Oct 6, 2021 at 6:21 pm

The two candidates for mayor offered starkly different visions for what is needed to develop northwest Lakeland at a forum on Tuesday. Incumbent Bill Mutz called for mentoring, training and creating minority business financing, while challenger Saga Stevin pushed for more policing in an area she claimed is marked by gangs and violent crime. More

Neighborhoods/ News Roundup

Read It in the Morning Paper: Historic House, Election

Oct 1, 2021 at 8:44 am The Ledger

HISTORIC HOUSE: Michael and Annalee Mutz are restoring the long-neglected 1908 Queen Anne house at 1022 Success Ave. Michael buys, restores and sells distressed houses for a living, but this is where the young couple plans to raise their family.
ELECTION: One race on the Nov. 2 city ballot is a reprise of last spring’s City Commission special election. Shandale Terrell, who lost the May runoff by 146 votes, is challenging now-incumbent Mike Musick.

Dining/ Neighborhoods

Mary’s Bagel Café Coming to Lakeland’s Medical Corridor

Aug 13, 2021 at 8:52 am

The property at North Florida Avenue and 8th Street is special to Denise Gilmore. She spent much of her childhood there in her grandparents’ house. She worked across the street at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center for 27 years. And she is in the process of making it the home of Mary’s Bagel Café, named after her grandmother. More

Neighborhoods/ Housing

County Approves 188 Imperial Lakes Houses, Denies 200+ North Lakeland Apartments

Aug 3, 2021 at 5:55 pm The Ledger

Polk County commissioners today made very different decisions on two land-use issues that both faced major opposition from neighbors, The Ledger reports. They unanimously approved rezoning land at the Imperial Lakes Golf Course for 188 homes. They rejected 4-1 a request involving 200+ apartments that front U.S. 98 North and back up to single-family residences, saying apartments are incompatible with the nearby houses. (Subscribers-only story)

City Hall/ Neighborhoods

City Approves Townhouses Near Lake Parker; Meeting Roundup

Jul 20, 2021 at 10:49 am

A 32-unit townhouse community will be built between Lake Parker and the Lakeland Hills Boulevard medical corridor as a result of City Commission action on Monday. The commission also approved a major update to the city’s comprehensive plan, tax incentives for two planned Garden District apartment complexes, and developing a plan to extend sewers to six pockets where septic tanks are now used. More

City Hall/ Neighborhoods

Sewer Line Replacement Tops City List for Federal Relief Funds

Jul 13, 2021 at 7:19 pm

Nearly 80 percent of the $22.7 million the city of Lakeland expects to receive from the federal American Rescue Plan will go to replace a failing sewer trunk in southwest Lakeland, city commissioners decided today. More

History/ Neighborhoods

Century-Old Bungalow Moved a Block to Preserve History

Jun 24, 2021 at 7:25 am Fox 13 News

A 1920s bungalow slated for demolition was saved when historic preservationist Gregory Fancelli had it moved one block from Orange Street to Lime Street on Sunday, Fox 13 News reports. The move, months in the making, took 3 1/2 hours. Keep scrolling for the video report. More

Neighborhoods/ Environment

29 Baby Swans Released Into Lake Morton

Jun 23, 2021 at 7:58 am Fox 13 News

Twenty-nine baby swans have been released into Lake Morton following a successful breeding season, Fox 13 News reports. The challenge for the cygnets is to avoid predators. Assuming many do, the city of Lakeland may hold another swan sale to avoid overpopulation, as it did last fall. More